GDT: Game 62 • Wild @ Avs • 9:00 PM Central, 5:00 AM Suomi • FSN

[TaLoN]

Are we the softest team in playoff contention?


Man we played good last night but we look small, and without an edge...and it seems like we get hit... a lot and don't do anything about it.


Anyone else seeing this?


IMO we need Carter and Cooke...and to some extent Zucker back for some physicality and edge. We looked like ******* at times last night.

I think it's a completely overblown issue. Also...Cooke these days isn't anymore physical than Fontaine is. He can stay in the pressbox thanks.

 

[Hall of Faber]

Anyone see Dumba avoid a McLeod hit along the half boards in the 2nd I believe. They showed it on the Avs feed. Looked so cool, like Dumba was the surfer and McLeod was the wave. There has to be a GIF somewhere.

It was as awesome as the Granlund avoided hit VS. the Oilers two years ago.

 

[Engebretson]

Welp, that's the last time I miss a game against the Avs.

Nobody should be surprised at the same cast of characters pulling the same classless antics. It's becoming bad joke for guys like McLeod, Landeskog and Roy to pull the crap they do without repercussion from the league. Just amazing that the refs didn't do the right thing and I'm guessing they overcompensate for next weekend's game.

On that note, I now have plans for next Sunday.

 

[MuckOG]

Anyone see Dumba avoid a McLeod hit along the half boards in the 2nd I believe. They showed it on the Avs feed. Looked so cool, like Dumba was the surfer and McLeod was the wave. There has to be a GIF somewhere.

It was as awesome as the Granlund avoided hit VS. the Oilers two years ago.

I saw it. Very quick reaction by Dumba to see McLeod coming.

Speaking of that doofus, will the NHL hand out any supplemental discipline over that nonsense he pulled at the end?

 

[Slick Willy*]

So no one will acknowledge we got thrown around a lot yesterday.


Okay. I guess winning makes up for it...but I just don't like to see us get punked like that.

 

[MuckOG]

So no one will acknowledge we got thrown around a lot yesterday.


Okay. I guess winning makes up for it...but I just don't like to see us get punked like that.

I thought our guys answered the bell when they had to. And I was glad to see that the Wild kept their focus while the Avs were desperately trying to get them off their game.

 

[jedisports]

Great win!

We just keep rolling. Outstanding. We also got help again with SJ losing. We need to continue building a cushion between the teams that are chasing us for a playoff spot. Looking good right now.

It's remarkable how we've responded after the all star break.

 

[MuckOG]

I didn't realize that Colorado has this much difficulty enticing their fans to buy tickets to the home games. Was really fun hearing the "Let's go Wild" and "Doooooooooooob" chants....had to really get under the skin of Roy and the Avs.

 

[Tony253]

Welp, that's the last time I miss a game against the Avs.

Nobody should be surprised at the same cast of characters pulling the same classless antics. It's becoming bad joke for guys like McLeod, Landeskog and Roy to pull the crap they do without repercussion from the league. Just amazing that the refs didn't do the right thing and I'm guessing they overcompensate for next weekend's game.

On that note, I now have plans for next Sunday.

I don't know how Cody McLeod is not considered one of the dirtiest players in the league...He abuses the Wild regularly. Could it be because against teams like LA Kings, he would get smoked himself? That says more about the Wild lack of toughness than McLeod being a reckless player...

 

[MuckOG]

I don't know how Cody McLeod is not considered one of the dirtiest players in the league...He abuses the Wild regularly. Could it be because against teams like LA Kings, he would get smoked himself? That says more about the Wild lack of toughness than McLeod being a reckless player...

I don't think the Wild lack toughness....Their focus was on winning and getting the 2 points, which is where it should be. Why should they take Roy's bait?

 

[57special]

I thought our guys answered the bell when they had to. And I was glad to see that the Wild kept their focus while the Avs were desperately trying to get them off their game.

That's the key, to stay focussed. Roy is good at stirring his guys up, but they lose focus on the main thing, which is winning the game.

The main thing is to continue to fight through obstacles( in this case, physical and dirty play) w/0 it distracting you from the prize. Avs are acting like a canadian junior team from the 80's... WPG's brand of physicality is more effective. Big bodies that hit you time after time every time you touch the puck. After a while you don't want to touch the puck or go in areas where there is high traffic.

Once we get Cooke and Carter back we'll be in better shape for these types of games. You don't need goons, just a couple of guys who won't back down. Brodziak is a real plus in these sorts of games.

The other way to combat the goonery is to score on the PP. Unfortunately, Yeo has a brain lock regarding personnel that limits us to a mediocre PP at best.

Overall, I was proud of the effort last night, but the top two lines look messed up. The PPG line doesn't seem to work well( Parise disappeared), and Koivu/Vanek appear to have zero chemistry. I wish they would swap Vanek and Schroeder.

 

[rynryn]

McCleod is a piece of crap. He's only there for the cheap stuff. I was laughing my arse off at people whining about wanting Roy instead of Yeo and I find it even funnier now. Last year wasn't about coaching. Pretty clearly. that's what mega skilled forwards playing in front of a ridiculously hot goaltender and just enough defense. They lost their best two way forward and BAM. Holes are exposed.

 

[Minnesota]

McCleod is a piece of crap. He's only there for the cheap stuff. I was laughing my arse off at people whining about wanting Roy instead of Yeo and I find it even funnier now. Last year wasn't about coaching. Pretty clearly. that's what mega skilled forwards playing in front of a ridiculously hot goaltender and just enough defense. They lost their best two way forward and BAM. Holes are exposed.

Colorado's missing Johnson, too. O'Rielly is having a bad year. MacKinnon is having a sophomore slump. They have a really good team (defense could use a few additions), but I think they're having an off year.

 

[Paul Bunyan]

I didn't realize that Colorado has this much difficulty enticing their fans to buy tickets to the home games. Was really fun hearing the "Let's go Wild" and "Doooooooooooob" chants....had to really get under the skin of Roy and the Avs.

Colorado is Minnesota's version of "California". When they "Go West" that's where they seem to end up, unlike most other people who...end up in Cali.

 

[rynryn]

Colorado's missing Johnson, too. O'Rielly is having a bad year. MacKinnon is having a sophomore slump. They have a really good team (defense could use a few additions), but I think they're having an off year.

their forwards are looking off partially because everyone is trying to pick up the defensive slack and the guy most able to do it is gone. it wears on you when you're playing outside your comfort zone night after night--look at the wild this season. Injuries certainly don't help them, but their success wasn't about team play or "system", it was about individual skill, and unlike Eddy they had great goaltending to bail them out every night.

 

[tyratoku]

Colorado's missing Johnson, too. O'Rielly is having a bad year. MacKinnon is having a sophomore slump. They have a really good team (defense could use a few additions), but I think they're having an off year.

All those are factors, sure, but I would say their two biggest problems were the loss of Stastny and Varlamov coming back down to Earth.

Stastny was a glue-player who could play with any of their players and play well enough to jump-start production. He wasn't an amazing player or anything, but he did really well.

Varlamov was out of his mind last season. He is a legitimate #1 guy for sure, but not a top-5 goalie in the league IMO. He is having a down year, probably worse than he should be right now, but they need to upgrade their defense if they want to actually get anywhere.

 

[MuckOG]

Colorado is Minnesota's version of "California". When they "Go West" that's where they seem to end up, unlike most other people who...end up in Cali.

Either that or there have been a lot of Minnesotans moving to Colorado to take part in the "Green Rush".

 

[DeuceMN]

I officially hate the Avs and all their constant bs at this point.

Our guys did a good job last night playing their game and not getting too involved in the crap Roy was trying to instigate.

And God I hope Mcleod and Landeskog, argh! just something nasty happens to them! ****ing goons. The league should really impose a penalty on those two and their coach.

I like hard play, but not when players are actually trying to hurt other players.

 

[Minnesota]

All those are factors, sure, but I would say their two biggest problems were the loss of Stastny and Varlamov coming back down to Earth.

Stastny was a glue-player who could play with any of their players and play well enough to jump-start production. He wasn't an amazing player or anything, but he did really well.

Varlamov was out of his mind last season. He is a legitimate #1 guy for sure, but not a top-5 goalie in the league IMO. He is having a down year, probably worse than he should be right now, but they need to upgrade their defense if they want to actually get anywhere.

Yeah, it's crazy how much the loss of Stastny has affected the Avs - I don't think they expected this type of downfall. Stastny hasn't quite hit his stride with St. Louis yet... We'll see if he becomes that type of glue player with the Blues.

 

[MNWILDFAN001]

So no one will acknowledge we got thrown around a lot yesterday.


Okay. I guess winning makes up for it...but I just don't like to see us get punked like that.

I'm with you. This team has been one of softer teams in the NHL for a while. I really wish they could add a big player that can play the game, but also hits, hits often, and puts his whole weight into it. Then do that often to guys like Landeskog, MacKinnon, and McLeod. Bergenheim was my favorite player of the night for that hit on Mac.

 

[rynryn]

we usually have the puck too much to do a lot of hitting.

 

[Minnesota]

I'm with you. This team has been one of softer teams in the NHL for a while. I really wish they could add a big player that can play the game, but also hits, hits often, and puts his whole weight into it. Then do that often to guys like Landeskog, MacKinnon, and McLeod. Bergenheim was my favorite player of the night for that hit on Mac.

Big hitters often have their disadvantages, too. Defensive liabilities.

 

[MNWILDFAN001]

we usually have the puck too much to do a lot of hitting.

Is there someplace to see puck possession stats from last night?

Big hitters often have their disadvantages, too. Defensive liabilities.

Small players have disadvantages too. Get knocked off the puck easier. Get concussions from delivering a hit(Granlund). Being physical can be a very effective part of a game plan. Look at what happened to Zucker. A good, strong, clean hit, and now we're missing a very good goal scorer. Now I'm not expecting each hit to break someone's collar bone. But being physical takes its toll on an opposing team and can throw them off their game.

 

[DANOZ28]

i felt we were manhandled last night. i thought dubnyk should have had his 6th shutout with us (blankin refs) we earned those 2 points. avs look disorganized.

 

[Nino Noderreiter]

So no one will acknowledge we got thrown around a lot yesterday.


Okay. I guess winning makes up for it...but I just don't like to see us get punked like that.

Meh, where did that "throwing" us around get the Avs. They still couldn't even pot a goal.

I'll take the team that plays hockey. Not the one that deviates from their game to try and hit and cheapshot players.